Has anyone been approved for BTEA yet?

Cliona99

Does anyone know what happens if the course starts before you've been approved or denied BTEA?
Is it okay to start the course and keep on collecting jsa? Or is this fraud? (But they can't expect you to live on nothing while they make up their minds, can they?)

Thanks.

felic

Not sure how this works but what choice do you have?
Im so frustrated and Ive got a headache from all this. I thought we had to have our offer from CAO and registration details from the college before we sent in our forms? Cant believe people were being approved back in July when you dont even know if you got a place on the course?

Having a degree already is a bad thing in their eyes! Ive been unemployed now pushing on 2 years and its quite clear my degree is worth nothing and theres no work there in my sector anymore. So I made my plea and the officer agreed with me and told me to write a personal statement and send it into him. Which Ive done. I dont understand why they would refuse this when you are actively making an effort to retrain and not continue to be a bum in the dole queue every month... which in essence is what i will be anyway for a good while yet. Why not just give me the same money and let me go back into college and study something that gives me a much higher prospect of finding a job?

Its almost as if they are encouraging people to lie on their application... I mean.. they all know its a recession, that there are no jobs there. They face paying someone for say 3 or 4 years... or else face paying them for the rest of that persons life? It really makes no sense!

I understand that already having a degree means you have to pay the fees and the registration. Ive bursted my ass all year saving every free cent i could.. and now have that money for the fees... but i need the 196 per week to pay for accommodation, transport, food, books,... What the hell am I supposed to do? I cant sponge off my parents again! If this BTEA doesnt come through for me... im looking at a very miserable few years!
<snip>
This is just a huge disgrace! Even if they gave us the money on a loan basis that we pay back once we get back into work... Id agree to that. Ud imagine they would want the best for their citizens to make something of their lives and get back into paying taxes again... not send them down dead end alleys and leave em dwindling on a forever weakening welfare system!

I feel like im trapped!

Larianne

Felic, I understand your frustration about getting assistance from the state but I don't want any form of racism in this forum. You don't know anyone else's personal circumstances so kindly refrain from making a comment about them. Thank you - Larianne.

To be honest, I don't think they know their arse from their elbow in some of these offices. I don't think they expected to get so many applications this year. You just have to keep hounding them I think.

felic

Thats fine. And I apologize for the comment. Its just annoying thats all. And in my interview today it really seemed like I knew more about how the BTEA is meant to work than the officer did. Ill keep trying... and Im doing my course regardless. Just glad I save every cent I had to pay for it and not be waiting on a grant to come through and then be forced to give up the course because of that. And my parents are behind me so I guess Im lucky in many ways.

I just feel that they seem to want people trapped in this welfare system and feeling very let down by it as when i first heard of the BTEA scheme, I saw it as the one and only incentive they have to get people back out there and functioning again, looking at bright futures down the line instead of being moping around our parents houses at 30 years of age with no clue of whats to come.

The way I see it, for any chance to get out of this system, its either go back and retrain, or else emigrate.. and with visas for places like Australia and Canada limited to those aged 30 and under, its like being caught in a vicious circle.

rhonda15

felic wrote: »

Not sure how this works but what choice do you have?
Im so frustrated and Ive got a headache from all this. I thought we had to have our offer from CAO and registration details from the college before we sent in our forms? Cant believe people were being approved back in July when you dont even know if you got a place on the course?

Having a degree already is a bad thing in their eyes! Ive been unemployed now pushing on 2 years and its quite clear my degree is worth nothing and theres no work there in my sector anymore. So I made my plea and the officer agreed with me and told me to write a personal statement and send it into him. Which Ive done. I dont understand why they would refuse this when you are actively making an effort to retrain and not continue to be a bum in the dole queue every month... which in essence is what i will be anyway for a good while yet. Why not just give me the same money and let me go back into college and study something that gives me a much higher prospect of finding a job?

Its almost as if they are encouraging people to lie on their application... I mean.. they all know its a recession, that there are no jobs there. They face paying someone for say 3 or 4 years... or else face paying them for the rest of that persons life? It really makes no sense!

I understand that already having a degree means you have to pay the fees and the registration. Ive bursted my ass all year saving every free cent i could.. and now have that money for the fees... but i need the 196 per week to pay for accommodation, transport, food, books,... What the hell am I supposed to do? I cant sponge off my parents again! If this BTEA doesnt come through for me... im looking at a very miserable few years!
<snip>
This is just a huge disgrace! Even if they gave us the money on a loan basis that we pay back once we get back into work... Id agree to that. Ud imagine they would want the best for their citizens to make something of their lives and get back into paying taxes again... not send them down dead end alleys and leave em dwindling on a forever weakening welfare system!

I feel like im trapped!

I'm in the same boat - I've been unemployed for 2 years. I want to go back and do a masters but they won't let me keep the €196 a week to make this feasible. BTEA not covered for a masters.

I hope it works out for you. I know I've tried everything - I just deferred the course for this year and I hope to figure something out in the meantime.

It's really tough right now.

felic

Well thats the proof right there that the facilitating officers dont know the in and outs of the BTEA cos when he asked me if I already had a degree, he told me he felt that it was only for people who would be going ahead with a HDIP or an extra year of a postgrad course that could get the BTEA.
Seems like a merry go round to be honest. But im hoping that someone on the judging panel has a brain and sees that Im doing the right thing for myself to get me off the dole queue and get doing something productive.
Again.. even if they offered the money as a loan type thing? Why cant they implement such a scheme that would be in everyones best interest?

ROCE1977

Simple answer. The country is run by (fill in the blank).

I feel your pain. I'm luck to be getting BTEA, I've issues with other parts of the Irish system. But thats another story...

fionav3

It's frustrating beyond belief that the government won't do anything to help get this country out of the doldrums. They are taxing the people who are working to the hilt meaning they don't have any extra money to spend and put back into the economy, and they are making no effort (that I can see) to improve employment for those of us who are unemployed. They talk about training for the long term unemployed but really that only encompasses people who never did their leaving or made it to third level. And while I agree those people deserve the help they need to get back to college and improve their employment prospects, what about the rest of us? There are thousands of people around the country with a degree who have been unemployed for a year or more and the government seem content to leave these intelligent people who want to work sitting on the dole. I've been unemployed for two years (and even before that, I could not for love nor money find work in my degree area and was forced to work in any job I could find just to pay the bills) but do you think the governement have done one bloody thing to help me with further training or getting back into the workforce? Not a finger have they lifted. I went to FAS last year to look about doing some kind of a course or getting some kind of a training initiative job just to keep myself occupied and the B***h in FAS told me I wouldn't qualify for it because I had experience and a degree. When I pointed out that I'd been unemployed for over a year she told me 'well, there's lots of people in your position.' Going back to college under my own back now to retrain in an area that I have good employment prospects but I qualify for nothing, not even BTEA because of my previous education. I was talking to my local councellor about it and he was disgusted that there are people in limbo all over the country with degrees that the government don't seem to even want to help get off the dole queues. He tried his best to help me but with no success. Can't wait for the next general election and I hope every single one of them are booted out.

Angry? Moi? Whatever gave you that idea? :rolleyes:

felic

I hear ye Fionav3! Im really fed up with this government and the lack of common sense to be honest. The social welfare people seem to just love to make life impossible for as many people as possible. This BTEA is one thing but i recall one day, going to to sign on, queuing up for the 2 hours, finally getting to the hatch, only to be told... 'ull have to come back in the afternoon, its only a to p this morning'. So a whole day was spent standing in line to just write my name on a pice of paper? WHy is this system not done online? Or even at the post office when we collect our payment?
Has anyone tried calling one of these offices? Dont bother if you havent. Its like being on a loop and you can be sure they all have their phones on mute.

Now as for this BTEA... how can they give it to some people and not to others who are in the exact same situation? It really seems that it all depends on who you deal with and who gets your application. It does not seem that its an equal system at all.

Found this in another thread to add to the confusion.

*Hank Scorpio* wrote: »

I sent in my application yesterday along with my registration confirmation from my college.

Today I got a letter saying I have been approved(been unemployed all year btw).

I didnt think I'd be approved as I already have a Bachelor of Arts degree. This is because of this sentence in the BTEA booklet: ''Only in very exceptional cases is it possible to get the BTEA if you already have a Third-Level Degree'.

However when I arranged a meeting with the local education officer in my local civic centre he said that sentence generally applies to people who have a degree AND got BTEA before while doing their degree.

I'm wondering should they make that more clear in the booklet. He said if you already have a degree don't be put off from applying.

I'm thinking many people did not apply because they already have a 3rd level degree and think they'd just be rejected due to that fact.

So anyone else with a 3rd level degree get approved for BTEA?

Thanks.

And i just love this brain wave someone had about getting JSA people out working a 19 hour week.
1. So there's 19 hours of work sweeping paths and roads for 455000 people is there?
2. What about people with kids who would have to pay for child minders while they do this 19 hours of work to get the 210 euros or whatever it is?
3. these 'service to the community' jobs are already being done by people on the minimum wage. Wont those people get the idea that instead of putting in their 9 to 5 monday to friday, that they would be better off on the dole too doing the 19 hours? and hence the queues jump to 500,000?

WHile in some parts, this idea is good and would stop people trying to fraud the system or claiming multiple payments from different offices... its not at all practical or all situations thought out.

Nothing makes sense in this country anymore. Just cant wait for Decembers budget. Heres guess the payment will be cut to 150 per week and people under 24 will be cut off altogether! Meanwhile, the senior politicians jump in their private jets and helicopters to enjoy a champagne reception in their private jaccozziis?

Angry me? They need a new word for anger to just begin to express what Im feeling!

KeithTS

Please stop moaning about how s**t the system is, yes it's not perfect and I'm no supporter of the current government but even though btea may be flawed it's a hell of a lot better than most systems out there.

It's in place to help people who have not had an opportunity to get qualifications to stand alongside those that do in order to make employment available to all not to offer multiple degrees to some and leave others without anything.
Jobs aren't out there fullstop so if you have 1 degree or 2 it's not going to suddenly change that fact.

Just stop the ranting and accept that benefits are there to "benefit" the greater population and not just you. It's great that some of you have had the opportunity to study previously because I for one have not and I am very grateful that there is a system in place to help me compete in the workplace with those of you that already have a degree.

felic

I hear your point and fair enough. Congratulations to everyone who has been successful with their applications and all the best. But, albeit some of us already have degrees, times have changed. There is no boom anymore in areas like Architecture, Finance, IT, construction, engineering... people with these degrees have been on the dole for anything up to 2 or 3 years and CANT get jobs. So all they can do is either leave Ireland or try retrain in another area.
What Im ranting about is the fact that the SW are letting such people sit at home and stay on the dole for what could be for all we know, the next 10 years. Yes, everyone should have the chance to do a third level course and have every chance of getting a job if they can get one... but its really unfair to expect such people to pay the full fees and then cut their JSA as well...? People who dont have a degree already will get their fees paid. Thats the difference here.
Excuse the ranting, but this was the only place I found people in the same situation as me and wanted to share my thoughts to show that we're not the only ones feeling the pinch and like we're getting punished for trying to get ourselves off the dole.

fionav3

KeithTS wrote: »

Please stop moaning about how s**t the system is, yes it's not perfect and I'm no supporter of the current government but even though btea may be flawed it's a hell of a lot better than most systems out there.

It's in place to help people who have not had an opportunity to get qualifications to stand alongside those that do in order to make employment available to all not to offer multiple degrees to some and leave others without anything.
Jobs aren't out there fullstop so if you have 1 degree or 2 it's not going to suddenly change that fact.

Just stop the ranting and accept that benefits are there to "benefit" the greater population and not just you. It's great that some of you have had the opportunity to study previously because I for one have not and I am very grateful that there is a system in place to help me compete in the workplace with those of you that already have a degree.

Have you got into college Keith? If so, congrats and the best of luck to you. I hope you do well. But Felic (see below post) made a good point. The issue here is that certain sectors have seen a brutal crash that is unlikely to ever see the dizzying heights of the boom leaving a glut of graduates without job prospects even after this recession ends. He's also right when he points out that people who are going back to do a second degree will pay full fees without any help. And not everyone who went to college first time round were state fed on a grant or had their folks behind them to support them. I worked like a trojan to put myself through college and was almost bankrupt by the time I finished. It took me more than a year after finishing to clear my student loans. I understand why you would think the government shouldn't pay for people to do multiple degrees (I too agree with that) but not everyone who has a degree will find work in the future. And in the recession, having a degree hinders us in ways you might not imagine; several employers of shops, hotels etc won't hire college graduates because they think they will leave as soon as they get something better (and I've heard that from several sources). Can you appreciate how frustrating this is for us after spending years working our butts off in college? Don't you think we deserve some sort of help to retrain like everyone else who's been affected by this recession?

Also, felic made a good point when he said we could spend the next few years sitting on our bums on the dole anyway. Surely it makes more sense for the government to give us BTEA and let us do something constructive that will increase our employment prospects for the future as well as put something back into the country? (I'm taking about the several thousands of euros worth of fees that we pay as well as the improved skills we can offer in the workplace).

felic wrote: »

I hear your point and fair enough. Congratulations to everyone who has been successful with their applications and all the best. But, albeit some of us already have degrees, times have changed. There is no boom anymore in areas like Architecture, Finance, IT, construction, engineering... people with these degrees have been on the dole for anything up to 2 or 3 years and CANT get jobs. So all they can do is either leave Ireland or try retrain in another area.
What Im ranting about is the fact that the SW are letting such people sit at home and stay on the dole for what could be for all we know, the next 10 years. Yes, everyone should have the chance to do a third level course and have every chance of getting a job if they can get one... but its really unfair to expect such people to pay the full fees and then cut their JSA as well...? People who dont have a degree already will get their fees paid. Thats the difference here.
Excuse the ranting, but this was the only place I found people in the same situation as me and wanted to share my thoughts to show that we're not the only ones feeling the pinch and like we're getting punished for trying to get ourselves off the dole.

rhonda15

Anyone catch O Cuiv on Primetime?

This is the minister with power to help graduates go onto further study (in my case allowing the BTEA for masters programs).

His performance was absolutely appalling - the man just has not got a clue!

They are taking him apart over on politics.ie on this thread:

http://www.politics.ie/current-affairs/137594-ocuiv-everything-you-need-know-tuam-herald.html

no wonder the country is going down the tubes

zeds alive

Still waiting for mine and college started last week , spoke to the dole office and they told me to go ahead and go to college and not sit around waiting to be approved.

gs39t

I have been approved but im wondering what exactly the SW want to confirm registration, do i need to get a letter from the college after i have registered confirming the details or will something the college have sent confirming i have been accepted to the course do?

The approval letter says 'you must supply written confirmation from your college (registrars office/admissions office only)' but im not sure how to interpret that

*Hank Scorpio*

gs39t wrote: »

I have been approved but im wondering what exactly the SW want to confirm registration, do i need to get a letter from the college after i have registered confirming the details or will something the college have sent confirming i have been accepted to the course do?

The approval letter says 'you must supply written confirmation from your college (registrars office/admissions office only)' but im not sure how to interpret that

Yeah, go to whatever building in your college deals with registration/admissions. Ask them for a letter saying you are registered. They will know what you are talking about it if you tell them. Students need these type of letters all the time.

Btw, still waiting for my decision on my btea application. Applied in July.

Macca3000

I applied towards the end of July in Kells. Still waiting. College starts next week. Went into the SW office yesterday and the lady behind the counter told me to collect dole next week and it should be sorted soon after.

Chorcai

Just thought I'd let anyone know who is going to DIT and waiting on grants/BTEA etc, at our "Mature Welcome Day" we were told that DIT fully understand and are aware that there is 14/16 week waiting regarding applications being processed. So don't fret, explain you have handed in you're application and you are waiting on a reply.

I hope this helps !

arsenallegend

Hi guys i need a little help:(

I got a letter today saying i won't be accepted for the BTEA until i get a social welfare payment(i've been waiting a good month for a answer for this). I',m down in the dumps really cause i'm starting my cause next thursday and i have enough for a week bus fare and thats it.

Any advice on what i should do?

I want to go up tomorrow to the social welfare and ask them when will i be accepted for the social welfare cause i've been waiting a good month but feel that could be a lost cause.

Annasopra

arsenallegend wrote: »

Hi guys i need a little help:(

I got a letter today saying i won't be accepted for the BTEA until i get a social welfare payment(i've been waiting a good month for a answer for this). I',m down in the dumps really cause i'm starting my cause next thursday and i have enough for a week bus fare and thats it.

Any advice on what i should do?

I want to go up tomorrow to the social welfare and ask them when will i be accepted for the social welfare cause i've been waiting a good month but feel that could be a lost cause.

can you ring the social welfare and ask them?

threein99

Just had a call saying because I did an apprencticeship in Carpentry and thats Level 6 that its unlikely that I will BTEA for my level 5 I.T PLC course, anyone any ideas what I can do now ? the two courses are not even remotely related and Im being denied BTEA because of it :mad:

stevie_d

arsenallegend wrote: »

Hi guys i need a little help:(

I got a letter today saying i won't be accepted for the BTEA until i get a social welfare payment(i've been waiting a good month for a answer for this). I',m down in the dumps really cause i'm starting my cause next thursday and i have enough for a week bus fare and thats it.

Any advice on what i should do?

I want to go up tomorrow to the social welfare and ask them when will i be accepted for the social welfare cause i've been waiting a good month but feel that could be a lost cause.

I would suggest going direct to the HEO/Job Facilitator of your local office and deal with them direct, I applied and was approved in less than 24hrs in Dublin.

Mr. smart

Finally found out today that I have been accepted for BTEA.::D

But also only realised during registration, also today, that it is possible on BTEA to have the Student Services Charge paid for as well.

Going to try apply for it tomorrow but don't fancy my chances.

Has anyone tried applying this late for grant?
Is it too late to apply?

Delighted about getting BTEA but could do without taking £1500 hit at the moment. School-boy error:o.

Blueprint

Don't worry, they've put back the application day to October or something far out like that!

Mr. smart

ah sweet, thanks, thats good to hear.

Laydee

I got approved for BTEA on Friday & the nice lady in the SW office rang me to say that it would be in my bank account on Thursday. She said to bring in my registration letter when I get it to get the €500 book grant.
I got home today & there was a letter for me saying that BTEA is not paid until they receive a letter to confirm registration. This was sent on Friday.
Can BTEA be paid before the letter is given to them? I'm hoping the lady on the phone from the SW office was right.

Macca3000

I got approved last wednesday, was able to drop the registration letter in the next morning. She said it could take a week or two to process. But all money owed to me would be paid into my account backdated to the start of college. It's such a relief to know it's coming I can put up without it for another week or two.:)

threein99

Did everyones BTEA go into their bank accounts lastnight ? mine didnt and iv a feeling iv been cut off :mad:

Macca3000

threein99 wrote: »

Did everyones BTEA go into their bank accounts lastnight ? mine didnt and iv a feeling iv been cut off :mad:

Yep, mine went through. Not the Costs allowance yet just the main BTEA.

sex panther

did yer rent allowance go into your bank account? mine didnt, it was in the post office.

My regular 196 went into my accont tho. must i go to the comunity welfare office and request it be moved into my account, the silly people in the sw office werent sure, thanks